The New News…

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS. PLEASE SEE MY DISCLOSURES FOR MORE INFORMATION

newsI am not a news watcher.  I’ve been chided about it, called irresponsible, even, for not being up to date on the current events taking place around me, but I just can’t do it.  The news depresses me.  Without a T.V. in my house (and generally avoiding outrageous internet bylines), I get most of my news from snippets on my public radio station, and a few columns in the literary magazine delivered twice a month to my house.

Perhaps this is irresponsible, but I can’t convince myself that watching the daily news is truly a good thing for me.  It just seems like so much of our news is bad news.  Sure, there are always a few happy stories thrown in to keep people from sobbing as they reach for the remote, and the anchors all have nice smiles and banter pleasantly with one another, but the outcome always seems the same to me – gloom and doom prevails.

Even the paper today, when I glanced at it while out and about, was full of sadness.  The headlines on the front page stacked themselves like weights on my heart.  So I propose we do something new with the news.  Not ignore it – I realize that, unlike me, some people enjoy knowing exactly what’s going on in our world today, and I am truly glad that there are others who are more responsible about being citizens than I am.  They still face a lot of negativity with every report, though, so I think my idea would work well for all of us, news watchers or not.

…is Good News!

My suggestion is simple – we create our own news reports.  They certainly don’t have to replace all the “real” news reports in our days, but they would add a positive note, an up-beat to the decidedly down-beat of most of the news the media puts out there for us to take in.  These news reports would be entirely positive, meant to spread cheer, not fear, and could be broadcast at five, six or ten o’clock a.m. or p.m., or really anytime we need a little morale boost.  I’m not sure what my a.m. news report would sound like (And the sun is up!  The baby is thankfully still sleeping, the kettle’s on and it’s waffles for breakfast out there, folks) but by the time five o’clock rolls around, I know I could close the day with some really hot items.

Good Evening!  We Begin Tonight With A…

Breaking story: In an amazing feat of bravery, little Ella Jane De Haven, aged three and half, swam the entire width of the local pool during this morning’s swim lesson, with only a blue pool noodle tied around her waist for protection.  Extra kudos to her mother for actually getting into the freezing pool with her so soon after waking up.

Traffic report: Cars are backed up at the intersection of Smythe and Woodlyn Aves.; a turtle has been spotted crossing the street.  The turtle appeared confused by the gentle honking meant to encourage it to cross, so a young man hopped out of his sedan and saved the day by carrying the turtle to the grass at the curb.  His action was applauded by those watching, in cars and on foot, and passengers waved to both him and the turtle as traffic began to move again.

Weather advisory: It’s a beautiful day out there today folks.  The sky is the color of a robin’s egg and the sprawl of green trees against it is simply stunning.  We recommend staying outdoors as long as possible, and stocking up on sunscreen, ice cream cones and bicycles.

We’re on location at the local bakery, where chocolate chip cookie samples are being handed out to passerby’s.  The response of the public has been one of delicious appreciation.

This just in: The aforementioned turtle has journeyed across the sidewalk and is now munching grass under an azalea bush.  He is reportedly doing very well.

I don’t know about you, but that’s the kind of news report I want to end the day with.  What would your news report sound like?  It doesn’t have to be all small, personal things – we can hold on to the happy stories from the actual news of the day – stories about hope, stories about triumph in the face of adversity, stories about love and compassion and stories that are just plain fun and funny.  Because they are there, mixed in with all the sorrow and fear.  We can add those very real stories to our own personal news reports, creating a list that expands our own, reminding us that there are always stories worth celebrating out there, every day.  Now that’s what I call good news.

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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